37 of 42 PMGSY nano-tech roads failed in Arunachal: Minister

Story by PTI | Posted by Vidushi Gaur | Date 11-03-2026

Rural Works Department minister Pasang Dorjee Sona

Itanagar

As many as 37 out of 42 roads built using nanotechnology under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Arunachal Pradesh have failed due to the state’s difficult terrain and climatic conditions, Rural Works Department minister Pasang Dorjee Sona informed the Assembly on Wednesday.

Responding to a short-duration discussion initiated by Laisam Simai, BJP MLA from the Nampong constituency in Changlang district, Sona said the projects were undertaken under PMGSY-I as a pilot initiative using nanotechnology.

Out of the 42 projects, only five were found to be successful, he said.

The minister explained that the technology faced significant challenges in the state due to fragile hill terrain, steep slopes, unstable geological formations, heavy monsoon rainfall, landslides and erosion-prone conditions. As a result, many roads deteriorated quickly, suffered major damage or could not be completed.

Sona also told the House that the state government has repeatedly raised the issue with the Centre through various forums, seeking gap funding to restore the damaged PMGSY roads, but has not received a positive response so far.

He added that he has requested Chief Minister Pema Khandu to raise the matter during the next plenary session of the North Eastern Council to find a concrete solution.

Initiating the discussion, Simai said the PMGSY programme has been crucial for improving rural connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh, linking villages to markets, schools, health centres and district headquarters.

However, he noted that the nanotechnology-based construction methods have not performed well under local conditions and urged the government to arrange immediate gap funding to restore and complete the affected projects.

Simai emphasised that in a hill state like Arunachal Pradesh, the durability of roads depends not only on surface technology but also on proper drainage systems, slope protection, retaining structures, breast walls, culverts and timely maintenance.

“Where these are absent or underfunded, the roads cannot survive,” he said.

The legislator also pointed out that earlier concerns had been raised about the feasibility of using nanotechnology in the state because of the long rainy season, damp conditions, challenging topography and a short working season. Conventional construction methods, he said, were better suited to the region.

Simai further observed that the new technology reduced the use of locally available materials such as Random Boulder Masonry (RBM), Water Bound Macadam-II (WBM-II) and Water Bound Macadam-III (WBM-III), which are widely available in districts like Longding district.

This, he said, limited local economic participation and reduced employment opportunities for local youth in road construction projects.

“The problem before us today is not merely technical. It is developmental and humanitarian,” Simai said.

He warned that when PMGSY roads fail, entire habitations suffer as villagers struggle to access hospitals, schools, markets and other essential services, reversing development gains and putting public funds already spent at risk.

Simai urged the government to conduct an immediate review of all failed or severely affected PMGSY roads built using nanotechnology and to adopt hill-specific and climate-suitable engineering practices along with stronger monitoring and adequate maintenance provisions for future projects.